This method and system relates generally to insect and pest monitoring and control, including other forms of airborne biota, and particularly to use of radar, laser, and other optical sensors for detection and discrimination between insect pests and beneficial insects, and includes use of such technologies in a video game application. Precision kill technologies may be utilized to timely kill or disable airborne biota identified as harmful to protected assets. The method also provides for detection of insect pests or pest activity within the protected volume using traps and miniaturized sensors and telemetry systems, and on crop plants or production animals using laser vibrometry and other laser and optical sensors. In some embodiments, the method can be practiced as a video game wherein remotely located participants control kill devices (e.g., lasers, high-power microwave (HPM) devices, remote control or robotic aircraft) against active insect targets or other pests in a real-time environment so as to kill or sufficiently disable pests to prevent them from breeding or engaging in destructive activity.
Applicants' prior patents and patent applications have described problems associated with insects and other airborne biota and described apparatus and methods for protecting crops and other assets from insects and other airborne biota. The instant application hereby incorporates Applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,971, entitled “Airborne Biota Monitoring and Control System,” herein by reference in its entirety, and also hereby incorporates Applicants' U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,328, also entitled “Airborne Biota Monitoring and Control System,” herein by reference in its entirety.
The instant application describes additional embodiments and methods of use for some of the component elements and inventions described in Applicants' prior applications and patents, some of which may now become preferred embodiments, and expands upon embodiments and methods that may be used particularly when selected embodiments of the instant invention are implemented to enable or enhance practice of the invention wherein some functions of some elements may be controlled by human operators, and in particular wherein those human operators are located remotely from a location of sensors, processors, and weapons. In some embodiments, as described in prior patents and patent applications, remotely located human operators may be presented with displays based upon sensor observations and may remotely operate controls so as to cause weapons to engage targets deemed to be harmful or potentially harmful to protected assets.